


All That Glitters

by Miss_Murdered



Category: Free!
Genre: AU - Neo-Noir, Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Gangster!RinHaru, Minor Character Death, Multi, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-18
Updated: 2015-02-01
Packaged: 2018-03-08 03:34:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3193739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Murdered/pseuds/Miss_Murdered
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sousuke was meant to be a good detective in the corrupt Neo-Tokyo. But his partners death leads him to cross paths with the notorious Matsuoka and Nanase crime-lords and through them he meets Makoto - the most beautiful dancer he's ever seen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Put a Spell on You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jeanowo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeanowo/gifts).



> I recently got to 500 followers on tumblr and did a fic giveway where the first "prize" was a short multi-part or a long one shot. Jeanowo "won" (I feel so cheesy saying this!) and asked for Sousuke falling in love with show girl transgender Makoto so here it is!

It was an exclusive club. Not the sort of place Sousuke usually went to. It was the sort of place that had a black lacquered door without a number or any sign of what it was and no one would know it was there. Sousuke would’ve been like every other citizen of Neo-Tokyo, idly walking past it without a passing glance were it not for Nanase who had a firm hand on his lower back, guiding him towards the black shiny wood.

Nanase knocked, a rhythmic knock that signalled something or somebody and a moment later a knock was returned. Nanase knocked again, some password Sousuke thought as after he’d completed the taps, the door opened and they were both looked at very closely through a pair of red rimmed glasses.

“Nanase and Yamazaki,” was all Sousuke’s companion said and the answer was a nod and a wave through the now opened doorway so they could make their way down a set of badly lit stairs.

Sousuke could barely see as he followed Nanase, his dark hair and black suit seeming to blend into the blackness that surrounded him and he let his fingers reach out to the touch the walls that surrounded them. He almost flinched when he felt the cold of marble and he could see a slight glisten from the surface as they made their way lower until they finally reached an open doorway, a sparkling curtain left to walk through.

The curtain seemed overly theatrical, Sousuke thought, but then when they pushed it open it did allow a “wow” effect that the owners of the establishment were going for. As not seeing the club in glimpses from the stairs allowed Sousuke to assess it as a whole once he was through the veil and he licked his lips at the sight of decadence and luxury. It was a very different club to _any_ one Sousuke had ever been in.

He had been a cop since he’d been old enough to apply for the academy. And due to that, Sousuke was not naïve nor sheltered. In fact, he was the very opposite. He’d seen so much corruption, so much addiction and vice he was not surprised by anything. And really, Sousuke wasn’t surprised by the club, it was just decadent, beautiful even and it was a million miles from the strip clubs and sex clubs he’d visited before.

Instead of the sleazy atmosphere, the pounding bass of some popular song, there was a singer on the stage in a vintage dress, her bright red hair in waves and curls, her dress silver and shimmering, almost mermaid like in the bright spot-light. And instead of poles and women in cages, Sousuke looked up and saw the women and men above, the fragile looking scarf like material wrapped around them as they danced poetically through the air, twirling and twisting their bodies in time to the song. They were scantily clad, Sousuke noticed that, how they were wearing merely slips of fabric and glitter but still there was beauty in their moves and not just the thrusting and dry humping the air that Sousuke often saw.

Nanase had a small smile on his face as he stood beside Sousuke and he _really_ did not like that. As Sousuke hated that he was impressed, hated that he liked the aesthetics and the way the lighting was blue and silvery, how it almost appeared that those dancers above him were swimming. And he hated that Nanase had him wrapped around his little finger as Sousuke hadn’t intended to be a crooked cop - it had just happened.

“This way,” Nanase said and Sousuke felt the slight push again on his back.

 Sousuke was tempted to grab for Nanase’s hand and break it back but he could do nothing but growl under his breath, his anger in check as there was nothing he could do but consent and walk towards the bar with one of the owners of Neo-Tokyo’s biggest criminal empire.

Walk towards the other owner and Nanase’s partner in crime and more. Sousuke hadn’t met Matsuoka yet but he was meant to be more outgoing than Nanase and it seemed so even in his outfit choice. Whereas Nanase was dressed in a suit, a well-fitting slim fit one, Matsuoka wore tight black leather pants with a deep red shirt, multiple buttons open so that his toned and muscled torso was on display for all to see. He wore a plentiful amount of jewellery, rings and necklaces, and his hair was a bright red that was tied back into a small ponytail. When they approached, he clicked his fingers towards a blond haired guy behind the bar and offered a lazy smile, his teeth seeming to glint in the sparkling lights of the club.

“Detective Yamazaki,” he said, offering his hand as they stopped.

Sousuke scowled as he had no intention of becoming friendly with the criminals. Matsuoka obviously saw he was not going to be given the courtesy and shook his head with a smile before he stepped towards Nanase, drawing him into a kiss. Averting his eyes, Sousuke saw a drink was ready for him on the bar and he took it, tasting a fine aged whiskey that must’ve have been imported. He wasn’t bothered by their overt display, in fact, a part of Sousuke would’ve perhaps been more than happy to watch as he’d never been one for limiting himself to labels. People were people. Sex was sex. And Sousuke was young and attractive and a detective in Neo-Tokyo. He’d seen what people were willing to do to avoid jail time before and while he’d not indulged in that, he might’ve used his police badge to impress someone into his bed more than once.

The kiss stopped and Matsuoka grabbed his own drink which looked the same as Sousuke’s but Nanase grabbed what looked like an iced water and nothing more. Sousuke didn’t question that as he didn’t intend to find out any more about these two than was necessary and he was here purely on business. Nothing more.

“So… shall we talk, _detective_?” Matsuoka asked, licking at his lips and drawing out the word detective with a teasing lilt.   

“Let’s get it over with,” Sousuke replied as he finished his drink, leaving the glass on the bar as he was led towards a booth that was near the edge of the stage.

The girl was still singing and as they walked towards the booth, Sousuke saw a family resemblance and he was pretty sure she was a Matsuoka. He glanced around the tables and booths as he sat down and Sousuke saw politicians and police chiefs, businessman and criminals all mingling together and he realised the power Nanase and Matsuoka had. And how he was well and truly screwed. He never was going to be the good cop again, never going to be the man with morality and upholding honour as he was now in the pocket of Neo-Tokyo’s biggest crime lords and there was nothing Sousuke could do about it.

Once they were seated around the low small drinks table in the leather effect booth, Matsuoka smiled and Sousuke decided he one day wanted to punch that smile off his face. But he guessed he never would. He’d probably die trying.

“You want to know the terms?” Matsuoka asked and Sousuke nodded.

He wanted to know what his deal with the devil entailed. What the expectation was and would be in the future so Sousuke leaned forward to listen.

“Mikoshiba got a retaining fee and then we paid him depending on the value of the information… If you stick to the rules and don’t get ideas about your station, your retaining fee may increase but if you get greedy like he did…” Matsuoka laughed, the sound not at all happy. “Well, you know what happened.”

Sousuke knew what had happened to his partner. It was one of the reasons he’d not slept in so long. As he knew Seijuurou was crooked, he’d known he had an extravagant taste in clothes and alcohol and women but that day when he’d stopped to visit the old house in some cheap rundown area, Sousuke should’ve known it was bad. But it was only as he waited outside in the car and heard the shots did Sousuke get drawn into the world of crime as he’d walked into the scene with Seijuurou dead and many _many_ weapons pointed at his head. He’d had his choice. Be set up for his partners murder and spend the rest of his life in prison, threats made to his aged mother as well as they always had ever angle or do as they asked. Become an informant and as crooked as the rest of the Neo-Tokyo police force.

As least the extra money might pay for his mother a better place. Or a live in nurse. She needed that now she was forgetting…

Thinking about that made his gut tighten and Sousuke looked up to see Nanase whispering in Matsuoka’s ear, sharing something and a moment later, Nanase produced an envelope from an inner suit jacket pocket, putting it down on the table.

“Take this if you agree,” Nanase said bluntly.

Cautiously, Sousuke reached for the envelope, opening it up to see the cash, a large quantity, enough to pay his rent for the next few months and he sighed. He sighed as he stashed it away in his cheap suit pocket and now it was done. He was _theirs_ and it was never going to change. Unless he wanted to risk his life and his mother’s. He remembered what it felt like to visit the Mikoshiba family and inform them that their son was dead. He’d seen enough to know he was fucked.  

“Yeah… what happens next?”

Matsuoka smiled and leaned back against the booth, his arms behind his head and he let out a short laugh. “We’ll contact you. We have your number. You’ll see an untraceable number and that’s us. You’ll receive further instruction then. As for tonight… you can leave or you can enjoy all that our little club has to offer. Your choice.”

The words were punctuated with a flourish of hands and Sousuke looked around the club once again, the dazzling lights and the bodies suspended in the air and he wondered what he could “enjoy.” He was sure the offer was anything he wanted but he wasn’t interested – Sousuke just wanted to leave, wanted to no longer be here in a place that reeked of criminality and betrayal and treachery. He wanted his meagre apartment, his cat and his frozen meals, a call to his mother perhaps and hope it was a day she remembered his name.

He was going to say “thank you but no thank you” when the music changed and he cast his eyes towards the stage with an almost uninterested gaze. Uninterested until the spotlight was on her and Sousuke couldn’t help his eyes narrowing, his blue eyes scanning up and down the body on display in front of him.

Unlike common strip clubs, she was dressed in a tight corset, green with shimmering sparkles covering it. It even had a “tail” of sheer fabric behind her as she walked, her feet encased in silver encrusted heels, each step making her sway as she walked to the front of the stage. She wore a top hat, peacock feathers on it and she tipped it towards the crowd as she twirled a cane in her fingers, an old song being sung by the red headed woman who now stood at the side of the stage. The song sounded from lifetimes ago, odd in the modern city of Neo-Tokyo. Once she was fully in the spotlight, she looked up as she “thunked” the cane down onto the stage in time with the music, and it was then she saw her bosses in the booth and it was then she saw Sousuke.

Her makeup was beautiful – defined like it should be for the stage but Sousuke didn’t care as he could tell in the light that her eyes were green. She reached for her hat, throwing it into the crowd assembled around their small tables and then he saw her hair, a short bobbed cut and a defined fringe across her forehead. In her hair was a sparkling hair clip in the shape of a whale and Sousuke took that in as he’d done every part of her. He’d noticed the few tattoos, the flowers, the orchids, trailing up her thighs and Sousuke could admit, he was enchanted. Maybe that was the point as the song started, the words in English sung.

“ _I put a spell on you…”_

“We can arrange…”

Sousuke looked at Matsuoka then who was smiling and he saw Nanase nudge at him.

“Not Makoto.”

“Haru… he is helping us. Stop being an over-protective asshole…”

He heard their conversation, their attempt to whisper their words but Sousuke didn’t care right now as he watched her move, the sway of her hips, and Sousuke knew he was lost.    


	2. Bruised and Breathless

There was blood all down Sousuke’s shirt. Some of it was his own, some of it was the guy he’d been beating for intelligence but whatever, he looked a mess and he knew it. He’d not dared go home, not dared to make the journey on the underground metro system, afraid that someone would call the police and he would be arrested.

He couldn’t afford to be arrested. Even though most officers in the Neo-Tokyo police force were corrupt and on the take from various criminal gangs, Sousuke knew he would become useless and ineffectual if his alliance with Nanase and Matsuoka was discovered and so he needed somewhere to clean up and hide before he went home.

And so there was only one place he could go. He didn’t want to go to her home. He knew Makoto would over-react and he knew how he looked. But then his other option was paying for a cheap hotel room and he only had cards – traceable cards – rather than cash on him and he didn’t want the trace. He just wanted to be home, far away from the violence he’d committed but Sousuke was stuck as he arrived at Makoto’s apartment block, pushing the button on the communication panel and speaking into it carefully as Makoto answered.

“It’s Sousuke,” he said, his voice slightly slurred, “let me up?”

“Just give me a second,” she answered and then Sousuke heard the buzz that indicated he was allowed into the building and up to Makoto’s home.

It wasn’t the first time he’d visited and usually it had been in better circumstances. It had been after Makoto’s shows, when she smelt of perfume and was covered in glitter, shimmering as they walked home together from the club. This time it was grim as Sousuke walked through the lobby, the apartment complex expensive and owned by Nanase and Matsuoka, and he tried to keep his face away from the many cameras littering the place, ducking his head into his suit jacket as he climbed the stairs rather than opting for the lobby.

Sousuke worked out – regularly – but due to the fight he’d just been involved in, he felt exhausted as he climbed the stairs, stopping on the sixth floor and sighing as he knew he had three more floors to climb until he got to Makoto’s floor. He tried not to hold onto the walls or anything as he climbed up, aware that he didn’t want to leave a trail of blood or anything that would lead back to him but also he felt the exhaustion of it being five in the morning as he climbed, lethargy in his limbs.

Finally, he got to the floor and he made his way slowly to Makoto’s apartment, seeing the pot plant that sat outside and he wrapped the knuckles of his left hand against the door, it opening within moments of his knock. His other hand hung limply at his side, the blood covering it from his punches and as soon as Makoto saw him, her green eyes widened.

“Sousuke…”

He nearly collapsed into her home, instead, he staggered to the couch, her holding onto him and helping as he finally found the relief of being somewhat safe. Least if he’d been seen on camera’s it would only be the men loyal to the crime-lords he worked for rather than the police. But he was sure they wouldn’t be too happy at him visiting one of their stars. Especially Nanase who had a strong distrust of Sousuke and annoyance at his interest in Makoto.

“What happened? Sousuke… answer me…”

As soon as his weary body had hit the comfortable cushions, Sousuke’s eyes had started to close and he was sure he’d fall asleep.

“I’m sorry…” he mumbled, “I know you need your sleep…”

“No… what did they make you do?”

Sousuke cracked an eye open to see Makoto, her face close and her eyes full of concern. Her hair was pulled back from his face, her face unadorned of all of the make-up and the glitter and Sousuke smiled.

“Doesn’t matter… you look beautiful.”

She shook his head and reached over to his face, pushing aside some of Sousuke’s hair, heavy with sweat across his forehead.

“Let me get you cleaned up,” she said gently.

Sousuke was going to protest but she’d already gone by the time he could articulate his complaint, Sousuke watching her go towards the bathroom as he relaxed into the cushions and blankets that littered her couch.

He didn’t want to explain to Makoto what he’d done. That he’d received the call and he’d done as he’d been instructed. That he’d arrived at a “meeting” and the meeting had involved beating the shit out of some employee who had been skimming from the profits. Sousuke hated that he was owned by them, hated that he was now under their control, his freedom gone and his life now lived in fear of their shadows but he could do nothing about it.

Nothing at all.

Especially now he was in love with her. As she was owned too.

Makoto had told him, one night as they lay in her bed, their legs entwined and glitter covering both of them from their touches and kisses, that she owed them. That she and Nanase had come from the same small town and both had big dreams that they searched for in Neo-Tokyo. And when Nanase made it, he offered her what she needed – the opportunity to be herself.

She’d taken it, unable to afford it alone and the way Neo-Tokyo worked had made it impossible without criminal help for someone like Makoto to be able to access drugs and surgery. Hospitals were for the rich and the rich alone. Sousuke knew that just as everyone in the city did. The rest of Neo-Tokyo had back street clinics run by men and women who barely knew how to hold a scalpel and where people risked their lives getting the medical care they needed.

Sousuke wondered if the offer had all been a ploy to have Makoto indebted but he could only guess it was. He’d never truly know.

When Makoto returned, Sousuke watched her move, her long legs naked, a small pair of floral sleep shots and a tank top her only clothes, a loose grey cardigan over the top. She looked just as good like that as she did on the stage sequined and bejewelled. It made Sousuke realise how well and truly fucked he was as he was in love with all the sides of Makoto – the show girl and the woman she was off stage. And that was not good.

She knelt beside him and grabbed for his hand, it still bleeding from where he’d punched his target over and over again. On the floor was a bowl of water, tepid, a rag and some disinfectant and she slowly wiped away the blood before applying some of the cream and bandaging it up carefully. It showed a knowledge Sousuke wasn’t prepared for and when she reached his face, she ran her finger over his lip which had been bleeding profusely, it split from a well-aimed punch.

“You’ve done this before,” Sousuke said, softly, his eyes fluttering as she gently wiped away the blood from his face.

“I’ve patched up people before.”

He didn’t ask as she was close, her breath ghosting across his damp skin and he closed his eyes, smelling the shampoo or soap she used  - it fresh and clean, something that reminded him of oceans.

“At the club? Nanase?”

“A few at the club,” she answered, “it’s a rough business…”

Sousuke flinched when she pressed on his lip harder but he tried not to make any more indication of the pain he was experiencing. Instead he turned the grunt of pain into a chuckle that sounded more bitter than he intended it to.

“Don’t I know it.”

She didn’t laugh, only got up and took away the items, returning a few moments later with a t-shirt and throwing it in Sousuke’s direction. “You should get out of those clothes. I’ll wash them.”

Her words sounded like an order and Sousuke moved to sitting, the blood rushing to his head and his body aching, exhaustion in all of his muscles. He fumbled with his shirt buttons, his fingers shaking and he felt his hands batted away, Makoto kneeling in front of him and helping him undo the shirt.

“Sousuke… what did you do?”

“What they asked me to,” he replied, looking down at her, his hand reaching to touch her hair, soft in his fingertips. “Like we have to.”

Like they’d always have to. Sousuke may earn good money now, he may’ve been able to get his mother a live in nurse but if he ever stepped out of line… he knew what would happen. He’d seen Seijuurou, he’d gone to his family and ruffled his brother’s hair and tried to sympathise with the devastation. It was too much to think about. And now they knew his feelings for Makoto…

He’d wanted to hide it but there was no way he could hide their burgeoning relationship. Not when they owned where Makoto lived. Not when Sousuke was probably tagged and traced most of the time. He was sure despite Nanase’s seeming closeness to Makoto if it threatened their empire… well, they weren’t the most notorious of gangsters in Neo-Tokyo for being friendly.

The shirt undone, Sousuke shrugged his shoulders and let it fall to the couch, his chest covered in scars and bruises from various recent fights.

“You’ll die if you keep this up,” Makoto said, “you should leave, Sousuke. While you have time…”

Shaking his head, Sousuke reached out to touch her face, his calloused thumb over her soft cheek.

“I’ll only go if you go with me.”

She got to her feet then, her eyes downcast and Sousuke knew what she would say. He’d asked her once before if she’d thought about running away, about leaving this life of debauchery, of making money through her body and her routine and the glitter and make-up. Making money through the façade but she had only shook her head.

“I can’t… you know I can’t. I owe Haru too much… Rin too.”

Getting to his feet, Sousuke stepped forward, reaching out to hold her, drawing her close, wrapping her in his arms.

Sousuke wanted to persuade her that he could protect her. That they could run away together – away from Neo-Tokyo, even away from Japan – and they would be safe and it would be perfect and beautiful but Sousuke knew it was lies. He knew they’d not get far enough and Makoto was too caring, too compassionate and she saw some good in those men that blew people’s brains out if they crossed them.

He kissed the top of her forehead gently, her fringe tickling his nostrils and Sousuke closed his eyes as he felt the complete happiness of having Makoto in his arms. As in the brief moment, he was away from it all.

“Let’s get some sleep,” she said and Sousuke grunted in response as in her bed, with Makoto beside him, he could dream of a world where they escaped and they had their freedom.

A freedom they would never have.


	3. Fly Away

Sousuke was lingering, waiting, unable to go ahead and walk towards the check in desks at Neo-Tokyo airport. He knew he had to go – he knew he had little time before Nanase and Matsuoka figured it out and realised he’d tried to escape their clutches but he still wasn’t able to just walk away.

He kept his hands in the pockets of his suit trousers and rocked back and forth gently on his heels as he tried to stop the sickness he felt in his stomach. He had two tickets in the laptop bag he had around his shoulder – two tickets, two passports and two new identities. They were perfect copies, the best identification documents that Sousuke could afford and he had a plentiful amount of cash in both money and in accounts in Cayman Islands. He had everything for a new life. Everything he needed for a new life with Makoto. But she wasn’t coming.

Sousuke knew his mother was safe, he’d paid enough for it, he’d sat in an office in front of the man with the strange star pattern in his hair and big sunglasses over his eyes even in the day and he’d paid so much damn money for all of this. So much money to get away. For Makoto. But it seemed like it was wasted.

He’d hoped she would be happy when he explained. When he told her what he’d done but instead of joy on her face, fear had been in those deep green eyes and a look of concern etched on those lips.

“You would be safe,” Sousuke had promised. “They can’t get near us.”

“Where?” Makoto had asked.

Sousuke hadn’t been sure. He knew South America as it seemed far enough away but he hadn’t decided on the country. It was only as he stood in Neo-Tokyo’s airport did he know where they were meant to be flying to – the words Rio printed on them along with their assigned seats. The seats that only Sousuke was going to use.

He knew he should give up. As in the inside pocket of his suit jacket was the letter she had written him. The apology, the reasons she wasn’t going to leave with him and the words written in ink that broke his heart – the “I love you, Sousuke”.

The letter had been read far too many times since she’d left it. He’d stayed the night and when he’d woken up in her bed, there had been no good morning kiss from Makoto, no touches and no passionate gropes, there had only been an envelope perched on the pillow, a small flower, an orchid on top of it.

A part of him had wanted to crush it, rip it up and not think about how much it destroyed him. But with her… he couldn’t and so he only read it over and over again as he went about his last day, pretending it all was normal as he tied up the final loose ends and then travelled to the airport to fly away from Japan for forever.

Reluctant though he was, Sousuke knew he couldn’t stay and he tried to remember why he was running away. He knew he had to. Nanase and Matsuoka were never letting him go and their requests of him had become even more violent. Sousuke had never wanted to kill people but when they asked him to he always tried to say no but he couldn’t do anything but agree. As Matsuoka would look towards Makoto on the stage, Makoto with glittering outfits and sparkling make-up and it was all said in just one look. That if Sousuke didn’t do what was asked of him, Makoto was going to end up dead or worse.

Unfortunately he knew what worse was. His bosses were nothing if not ruthless bastards with a propensity for violence. And so he knew he needed to be away, out of Neo-Tokyo and at the other side of the world before they realised what he’d done. That he’d escaped.

He worried about her but she the letter had said she’d claim all innocence… pretend that Sousuke had broken her heart and betrayed her, stealing some of her money too. Sousuke wondered if they’d believe her but then he also knew Nanase still had some feelings for her that were beyond employer and employee and that might save her. He couldn’t worry about that now. All he could do was walk towards check in and get on his plane.

Sighing, he looked around the check in area seeing that she hadn’t appeared. That she hadn’t surprised him. Sousuke knew it was stupid to think she would. To think that he would be stood in the airport and she would surprise him, walking towards him and Sousuke would wrap her in his arms and breathe in her perfect scent. But that was a dream. A nice one but a dream nonetheless so Sousuke gave up that hope and walked towards check in. It was a depressing and straight forward conversation – his documents good enough to fool both the woman behind the desk and the computer systems and Sousuke confirmed he wasn’t checking in any baggage. He had nothing worth taking with him. He had the clothes on his back and that was all he needed. He was starting a new life. Alone. He didn’t need nice clothes.    

Checking in was depressing but getting through the security and towards the gate was nerve-wracking. He knew his new passport looked good but he wasn’t sure how good it actually was so he kept looking over his shoulder as he walked expecting at any moment for him to be pulled aside. When he wasn’t, when the scanners didn’t even “ping” as he walked through, Sousuke breathed a sigh of relief and started to relax a little again. He knew he wouldn’t truly relax until he was in the air or maybe not even until he was in some hotel in Rio but whatever, Sousuke wasn’t expecting a gun to his head or being knocked out in a bathroom and dragged out of the airport.

It was a torturous hour an half wait for his flight. Sousuke kept wandering between the few shops, picking up sunglasses for no other reason than something to do and something that stopped his brain from swirling. He bought newspapers, unusually as he usually read on his tablet and bought coffee from each of the different vendors as it wasted the time.

When his flight was finally called, Sousuke was stood in the technology shop again fiddling with a new pair of headphones he opted not to buy and he departed swiftly, the young shop assistant disappointed that he’d not bought something when they’d had a few conversations during Sousuke’s waiting time. Sousuke didn’t care now – all he wanted was to be on his flight. On the flight he planned on getting as much alcohol as he could and knock himself out, fall asleep on the journey and dream of Makoto.

He could dream of the sway of hips, her smile, her eyes and the way her fingers threaded through his hair. He could dream of the press of her lips and the way their bodies aligned and he could close his eyes and remember the glitter and their nights together… And then he could wake up and try and forget her. Probably read the letter a few more damn times.

Boarding the flight distracted him enough as he walked down the plane to get to his seat. He supposed the only advantage of her not coming with him was that he may be able to spread his legs out but that thought didn’t make him happy. It only made him sick. He didn’t want to be leaving her in Neo-Tokyo. He wanted her with him.

He needed to get off the plane, he needed to try and get to her but then Sousuke knew it was suicide. He’d missed a meeting with Nanase and Matsuoka and he knew they’d already be trying to figure out why and he knew he couldn’t do anything.

He had to let go.

Let go of Makoto. Even if it hurt him so damn much.

Sousuke got into his seat and pushed his laptop case under the seat in front not wanting his precious possessions to be so far away from him. His new life. All contained in a plastic wallet inside a laptop bag. He tried to not let any emotion show on his face, tried to not let himself feel the pain that was radiating through his chest but he needed to keep his hands balled in fists, his fingernails digging into his skin hard where they were clenched tightly together. It was painful but Sousuke needed it as he sat at the window seat, staring out and waiting for it to be over.

He couldn’t contact her again. Couldn’t even try as if they knew he had… well, that would put Makoto’s life in danger and he’d never do that. He loved her too much to do that to her.

“If you love something enough you have to let it go,” Sousuke muttered under his breath.

He hated the words and he wasn’t sure where they’d come from – so trite and meaningless but Sousuke knew he had no choice. All he could do was wait to start his new life. Maybe he’d meet someone else and fall in love. He almost wanted to laugh. Sousuke wasn’t the easiest person to love and Makoto did. She loved his grumpy moods and his sarcasm and his bloody knuckles. She cleaned him up and smiled and put up with him.

And he had to forget her.

The flight was filling up around him and Sousuke hoped that they wouldn’t have sold Makoto’s seat and it would remain empty. He didn’t want to share his space – he just wanted to stare out of the window in despair as soon as he got his drinks and he wanted to be alone. And he hoped he could spread out a little. Simple wishes.

But it wasn’t going to come true.

“Is this seat taken?”

Sousuke growled and looked up. The person asking the question would damn well know if it was their seat. This wasn’t a goddamn bus – it was a plane where everyone had an assigned seat so Sousuke was about to say something terse, something angry due to the pain he was feeling in his chest but his tirade was stalled.

His tirade never made it onto his tongue as when Sousuke looked up he saw familiar green eyes, brown hair tied back off her face and a small smile.

“Makoto…?” Sousuke asked in wonder. It seemed like a dream as she nodded, as she sat next to him and placed her handbag under the seat. “You shouldn’t… Nanase and Matsuoka…”

“Won’t find us, right?” she replied as she reached for Sousuke’s hand, making  him unclench his fist so that she could hold it. “We’re starting a new life, remember?”

“You said you weren’t coming… you said…”

Sousuke’s words were mumbled, were dumb and stupid. He’d reconciled he was never going to see her, never going to smell her or kiss her or touch her and he’d accepted it. No matter how painful it was and now…

“I couldn’t live without you, Sousuke. I thought I could but…”

“Do they know?” Sousuke asked and she shook her head, her bangs falling into her eyes.

“No… let’s just hope this works. I have false documentation.”

Sousuke knew he should worry. He knew he should care if Makoto’s fake passport was as good as his own and whether they’d be found but Sousuke only leaned over and kissed Makoto’s lips, tasting something sweet as he gently twirled his tongue over them and when they parted, he ran his thumb over her jaw, smiling.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” Sousuke said softly.

“Sorry,” she replied, her eyes downcast and Sousuke titled her head back up so he could meet her eyes.

“Let’s not be sorry… let’s just think of a new start together.”

She nodded, her green eyes watery as Sousuke pressed another kiss to those lips and Sousuke didn’t think about all his fears and doubts, only rested his head on her shoulder and nuzzled into the soft wool of her cardigan. As it wouldn’t be simple and he was sure Nanase and Matsuoka would never let them go entirely but that was fine. As they had a chance. A shot together and that was all Sousuke wanted.

A chance at the happy ending between the showgirl and a crooked cop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end! This was a really a little short "snippet" of what should be a much larger fic that I don't have time to write. So I will leave this here as the abridged love story between the show girl and the crooked cop...!


End file.
